Transportation pay scale changes requested for school district

    Compensation changes for both regular-route and activity bus drivers received significant discussion at the Feb. 5 meeting of Holyoke School District Re-1J Board of Education.
    Transportation Director Kim Young explained a traditional longevity pay compensation that has been made annually for some time but is not officially documented in the pay scale records.
    To help compensate regular-route bus drivers who stay in the district, a longevity bonus has been given for a number of years at the rate of $10 per year of experience. For instance, if a route driver has 10 years experience, he/she receives $100 in what they’ve deemed longevity pay.
    Superintendent Kyle Stumpf said he would like to find a way to honor drivers this year and then, ultimately, to put a plan in writing so that it’s documented standard procedure.
    On another note, the regular-route driver salary and the hourly rate for activity trips were both cited by Young and Stumpf as areas that need to be addressed.
    Salaried staff, as well as other support staff, have salary/hourly pay schedules incorporating an annual increase for experience. However, there is no such plan in place for bus drivers. As a result, it’s been some time since their pay scale has increased.
    Young said it gets harder and harder to get activity drivers for the ever-increasing amount of activity trips taken by the district. She said she would really like to see an increase in the pay offered by the district.
    Various alternatives for compensation were mentioned, with board members, in general, acknowledging the need to address the transportation pay scale.
    Stumpf noted that salaries and schedules for teaching staff, as well as paraprofessionals in the district, have been addressed recently, but pay scales for bus drivers and coaches have not.
    Making a change in bus driver rates right now would represent about a $3,000 cost to the district beyond what’s been budgeted for the year, said Stumpf.
    He said that he will have a plan prepared for the Feb. 25 board meeting for discussion on whether the hourly rate should be increased before the end of this current school year.
    Advocating for the district’s bus drivers, Young cited the liability of transporting students and the importance of being able to maintain and keep good drivers.
    
2019-2020 school calendar drafts presented
    Two first drafts of a school calendar for 2019-2020 were presented at last week’s board meeting.
    Both incorporate 10 days for teacher inservice. Stumpf said the days will each be designated specifically for curriculum development, professional development or other specific areas.
    Conversation will begin on the potential of a four-day school week in the future. One of the two drafts featured a four-day week. Stumpf emphasized the importance of conversation with the community on this topic.
    He also addressed the number of minutes required by the state for both elementary and junior-senior high students and the effect that would have on the length of the school day if a four-day week would be introduced.
    Stumpf asked how flexible the board is with regard to keeping graduation on Mother’s Day. Board members shared that it was changed a number of years ago when graduation weekend conflicted with state track and baseball schedules.
    Hearing no historic reason to necessarily schedule graduation on Mother’s Day, Stumpf will begin discussion with administration, standards of excellence and leadership team groups.
    
Superintendent evaluation reflects proficient review
    Completion of Stumpf’s evaluation summary as superintendent was cited by board president Pat Wiebers, with his composite score on a 1-4 scale being 3.025, slightly above the proficient level.
    Stumpf was evaluated by the board on criteria specific to ongoing goals and performance domain deliverables in each of six domains.
    These included instructional leadership, leadership and personnel management, budget and finance, facilities management, community outreach/extracurricular activities, and policy and governance.
    Stumpf’s highest score was a 3.57 in community outreach/extracurricular activities, and the low score was 2.43 in facilities management. The average of the six domain scores was 3.025.
    The board will work with Stumpf to develop both short-term and long-term goals and deliverables for the district.
    
Coaching assignments approved
    Eleven extra-duty assignments for coaches were approved last week, including nine for upcoming high school spring sports and two for the current junior high winter season.
    JH wrestling coaches who were added include Dusty McConnell as assistant at a stipend of $1,241 and Parker Redfern as a volunteer.
    Coaching additions for high school track include assistants Danyell Coons and Amanda Skinner at $1,861 each, and volunteers Bryan Beckner and Cindi Beavers.
    HS baseball additions are Jimmy French, assistant at $1,861, and volunteers Marcus Kammer and Brendan Mayden.
    For girls golf, Nic Flaa will be head coach, assisted by Marcia Dalton, both at a stipend of $1,533.
    
Other business
    In other business Feb. 5, the Re-1J board:
    — Accepted the resignaton of elementary school technology teacher Laura Loutensock at the end of the current school year, as she will be moving from the community.
    — Noted the next meeting will be Monday, Feb. 25, at 7 p.m., instead of the regular third Tuesday of the month.
    — Approved a reimbursement agreement for assistance to employees who are pursuing permanent resident cards.
    — Heard a nice presentation from Colorado Association of School Boards Student Leadership Strand participants Brenna Gatton, Josie Herman and Emily Jelden. The board also viewed Alma Alejandre’s art, which won middle school art honors at the CASB convention in early December.
    — Pledged financial support for an administration grant through the Department of Local Affairs to help with the cost of a community housing feasibility study for Phillips County.
    — Voted to continue to work with the Neenan Company, not to exceed $16,000, to update the existing master facility plan that the company created in August of 2010.
    — Received an update on the training that Stumpf and Budget & Finance Director Ben Rahe received in Denver from a Feb. 1 Colorado bond/mill levy election workshop by George K. Baum & Company.
    — Heard a report on the energy analysis summary by Schneider Electric and the proposal they would like to work with the district on.
    — Approved nonresident student applications and transportation requests for Aliyah, Destanie and Scottlyn Engle from the Haxtun School District; and from Kai and Kayden Siep from the Perkins County, Nebraska, School District.
    — Approved first reading of CASB policies presented Nov. 19, on the topics of accountability/commitment to accomplishment, evaluation of superintendent and administering medications to students.
    — Reviewed revised and new CASB policies on the subjects of security/access to building, school year/school calendar/instruction time, use of video and audio monitoring, and staff conduct and responsibilities.